“Every injury is different. He broke something in his ankle and it’s a different injury than another.

“Now he’s at the hospital and the news is at the moment we are going to wait, but we think this is a serious injury.”

Welbeck required oxygen following the incident

Welbeck’s former Manchester United team-mate Nani was one of the first players on the scene and attempted to comfort a player he spent seven years with at Old Trafford.

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, who was not included in the squad to face Sporting, tweeted during the match to wish his team-mate well.

“Oh no… get well soon Danny,” Ozil wrote.

A message of support also came in from former Arsenal midfielder Santi Carzorla, who himself was the victim of a torrid run of injuries at the north London club before departing for Villarreal this summer.

With some of the game’s intensity lost following the serious injury, neither side were able to break through as Arsenal secured the point they needed to qualify for the next round.

Welbeck appeared to be in severe discomfort after falling

Welbeck’s career has been blighted by knee injuries, but he appeared to have overcome them and was a member of England’s squad at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Earlier on Thursday, Welbeck had been named in Gareth Southgate’s latest squad for an upcoming friendly with the USA and Nations League encounter with Croatia.